Steven Carrillo, the Ben Lomond resident who is accused of murdering Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller on June 6, will be represented by the Public Defender’s Office.
Steven Carrillo
On Friday, July 17, Carrillo appeared in person in Santa Cruz County Superior Court, for further arraignment.
The attorney who initially appeared with Carrillo indicated to the court that he was not being retained, according to the Santa Cruz County District Attorny’s Office, and Carrillo informed the court that he could not afford to hire an attorney and requested counsel be appointed.
The arraignment was continued to 1:30 p.m. Aug. 27, when Carrillo is expected to enter a plea to the charges.
Carrillo is also currently facing murder charges in federal court for the killing of a federal employee in Oakland.
The state and federal prosecutions will proceed independently of one another. The defendant will continue to face charges in both federal and state court.